Twig stove or campfire grill??

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plattj1

Joined
Oct 17, 2001
Messages
58
I have a SVEA 123 which I have used since the 70's, it works great and I do like it. I also have an alcohol stove which is OK, it is light and quiet but not very hot. Most of the time I find myself just making a small fire and cooking over it, that seems to work as well as anything else. I was wondering if anyone just uses a SMALL grill instead of a twig stove.

It seems like the twig burners are really just a nice way to hold a pot. Wouldn't a small grill do the same thing?

No trolling, it is an honest question. I am hankering for a twig stove but do not want to buy another piece of gear only to have it sit on the tool bench with all the other gear I bought but don't end up really needing.
 
I like using a grill over a campfire and I think both strategies have their "pros and cons". In my experience the twig stoves burn more efficient, meaning you need less wood and a shorter time span to bring something to boil / fry. The reason for that probably is the "stack-effect" that creates a "suction", much like a chimney. Most twig stoves have an elevated platform with holes on which the fire burns. That gives a great ventilation for the fire, adds to the stack effect and could be a plus if the ground is really wet. Nothing beats the aesthetic of an open campfire though, at least in my opinion.
 
I really liked the idea of a twig stove, so I went all-out and bought a Bushbuddy. It works great, but you have to prepare your fuel and keep the stove fed if you want to do any serious food prep with it. I also tried the grill thing, but other than for grilling a steak (a rare woods meal for me), I'd rather use the Bushbuddy.

The biggest drawback to me of both methods is the sooty cookware mess of using pots over a wood fire. I've gone back to my trusty Coleman 442 Exponent gas stove. It is easy to use, easy to regulate, and doesn't coat the pans with soot. I can have a kettle of water boiling in less than the time it takes to gather and prepare wood for the Bushbuddy. I've used it extensively for years with not a single problem.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Soot generally comes from smoke and smoke comes from incomplete combustion. Some woods burn cleaner than others. A well designed twig stove creates a venturi effect that promotes a cleaner burn. I get less soot on my stainless billy with the Emberlit stove than I do with a campfire. Both produce less smoke and soot if you burn them to coals first before putting the cookware on. I like the sight of a campfire. I like the convenience of a fuel stove. I like the twig stove when an extra minute or two, and less exact heat control are not important.
 
Tim the Slugman said:
I also use an SVEA 123 & I prefer it over any twig stove or alcohol stove
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I do love the SVEA, it has worked perfectly for decades. It is heavy and loud, but it always seems to work. It does flare on start-up, but it heats faster than any other stove I have ever owned. I wish could get one made of something other than brass, it is awfully heavy for it's size. I tried a pocket rocket type stove and it was great except that it seemed to lose power when it got cold. The colder it was the worse it performed.

The Trangia works OK, but I need a windscreen for it to really perform.

Fire works well, but takes awhile to gather, start and get to temperature. Then you have to put it out safely. The twig stove looks nice, but I am trying to use less gear, not more. I have a lot of stuff that really never gets used.

I am certain I will buy one sooner or later, it is in my nature. I have almost convinced myself...LOL :D
 
plattj1 said:
I do love the SVEA, it has worked perfectly for decades. It is heavy and loud, but it always seems to work. It does flare on start-up, but it heats faster than any other stove I have ever owned. I wish could get one made of something other than brass, it is awfully heavy for it's size. I tried a pocket rocket type stove and it was great except that it seemed to lose power when it got cold. The colder it was the worse it performed.

The Trangia works OK, but I need a windscreen for it to really perform.

Fire works well, but takes awhile to gather, start and get to temperature. Then you have to put it out safely. The twig stove looks nice, but I am trying to use less gear, not more. I have a lot of stuff that really never gets used.

I am certain I will buy one sooner or later, it is in my nature. I have almost convinced myself...LOL :D
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Obviously I am biased, but twig stoves are less. Less weight to carry than a fuel stove, less hassle to find fuel and ignite than a campfire, less trouble to extenguish and less mess left behind. It is just one more good option for many of us.
 
My vote is BOTH.....Im going to Ikea this week..They sell a stainless utensil drain for six bucks and it makes a great lightweight twig stove..I've been cooking over fires for 20 years and next year I'm trying a twig stove..(gota love the internet)..I've always packed a single burner propane stove for back-up but hopefully the twig stove replaces that..I haul everything in a kayak so weight isn't that much of an issue..CD
 
It's nice to have purpose built gear but many tossed objects can be reused outdoors. See that stove at the dump or in a back alley, pull the grates out and toss them in your trunk for your fire. I smoked fish for years in a ''little Chief'' aluminum smoker. Then I met Crazy Ed.... long story, we had some wild times. Anyway, he used to make smokers out of full and medium sized refrigerators. Not much to it really and they already have racks, and seal perfectly. You modify and insert temp gauge through the side etc. Remember to ALWAYS keep the fridge smoker closed with a chain and lock. Children have been known to crawl in while playing and suffocate as there is no internal release. Or better yet, just rip the locking mechanism out.
 
upnorth said:
It's nice to have purpose built gear but many tossed objects can be reused outdoors.
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shopping-cart-grill_130435107142.jpg


Plus it works as a transport for your gear! :D

On a serious note, just like desmo, the soot on all the cookware and the additional time gathering wood is the downfall. Only thing that sits in the fire is the coffee pot...everything else is done on a Peak1 or Whisperlite.
 
A lot of people on the net will tell you the plating on things like grocery carts and refrigerator racks is likely to contain toxic metals (cadmium, antimony, lead, who knows what) and grilling your meat on them is not a good idea.
 
Cougar Allen said:
A lot of people on the net will tell you the plating on things like grocery carts and refrigerator racks is likely to contain toxic metals (cadmium, antimony, lead, who knows what) and grilling your meat on them is not a good idea.
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I have indeed considered that. The only racks I have salvaged to cook on came from ovens or toaster ovens. I figure they were likely made for food contact.

Gathering wood for a twig stove is not the issue some might imagine. One small dry tree branch or a small ziploc baggie of sticks will do it. Generally far less material than I used to gather to start a small campfire.
 
Thanks for all the replies, I tried out a "hobo stove" made from a 3# coffee can. It was OK, a little better than a small fire but not so much better that I would pack it around all the time. I am hankering for an Emberlit, eventually I will try one. I like that it works well with the Trangia stove, that adds even more usefulness to an already nice idea.
 
Codger_64 said:
Gathering wood for a twig stove is not the issue some might imagine.
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No argument, Codge...it's just easier for me to flip the Peak1 on, flick my lighter and I'm ready to cook. I tend to believe that most people have a preconceived notion when you mention "fire"...they think warmth...not "oh how cute".

I've done the "Twig Stove Stare" during training...never again. I will digress, however, and agree with you on a twig fire in a Dakota/Klondike pit application.
 
I normally cook over a little fire, but my Sierra Zip woodburning stove for sure heats stuff faster with less wood.

If I am covering a small number of miles in with a goodly amount of time then I just use a fire. However if I have to get going early or there may be rain I bring the zip stove cause it saves so much time.
 
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